NordLayer is an innovative cybersecurity solution tailor-made for modern businesses. Powered by the cutting-edge technology of NordVPN, it helps organizations of all sizes bolster their network security with a ZTNA-based remote access solution and Security Service Edge services. With NordLayer, there's no need for hardware, and its cloud-native design ensures scalability and adaptability to fit businesses of any size or complexity.

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Plans and pricing

Essentially, there are three pricing plans offered by NordLayer. The Basic plan starts at $9 a month per user, while you can save up to 22% if you opt for annual billing, which is true for the Advanced plan as well. The Basic plan offers AES 256-bit encryption, unlimited data usage, and server performance of up to 1 Gbps. There are no virtual private gateway options with the Basic plan. Furthermore, there are no custom DNS or biometrics security options with the Basic plan; for all of these, you will have to upgrade to the Advanced plan. 

The Advanced plan has everything that the Basic plan has, plus additional customization and security options. It costs $11 per user per month, with a $50 a month fee for a dedicated server with a fixed IP. If these two plans do not meet your business needs, there is also a third plan, the Custom plan, for which you will have to go through the sales team to arrange what your specific requirements are.

Features

NordLayer incorporates Single sign-on (SSO), meaning users have just one set of security credentials for accessing multiple applications, providing added convenience.

An advanced function, network partitioning is particularly beneficial for businesses with numerous employees. It allows the network to be split into segments to enhance security and boost network performance. For instance, specific branches can be restricted from accessing your company's financial reporting system. Essentially, this enables you to control employee access to company resources.

Another feature is the ThreatBlock, comparable to NordVPN's CyberSec, which prevents users from visiting malicious websites that not only present hazardous ads but could also pilfer sensitive business information.

A key feature of NordLayer is the Intelligent Remote Access, which allows distributed teams across the globe to access the corporate network remotely. This feature is particularly useful for sharing files and simple troubleshooting when not physically present with your team members. With Intelligent Remote Access, it is possible to remotely access other user devices and in-office IoT appliances.

To maintain security when working from various locations and the company's main office, network segmentation, site-to-site, and traffic filtering techniques are employed. These measures significantly contribute to safeguarding the organization's data and applications. The Business VPN is built upon a comprehensive server grid of over 30 locations and is secured with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. This ensures that user traffic remains concealed from the rest of the internet, avoiding unwanted attention from malicious actors.

Interface and in use

A crucial aspect of a business VPN is its ease of use, particularly with numerous new members joining – training everyone to utilize a complex program can be challenging. Fortunately, NordLayer is simple to navigate, as the user applications have minimal settings and are quite straightforward.

NordLayer works with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux, with the mobile versions being the most straightforward ones, probably due to the design being adjusted to fit smaller screens, but this is very subjective.

Support

NordLayer's customer service is truly exceptional. Agents are accessible 24/7 through live chat, phone, or email. The live chat feature is very responsive, with agents responding to queries in minutes. Furthermore, NordLayer offers a comprehensive knowledge repository. It's worth noting that Advanced plan subscribers receive priority 24/7 assistance and a personal account manager. On the other hand, Custom plan purchasers benefit from exclusive 24/7 live support for tailored technical implementations and a dedicated account manager.

Security

The military-grade AES-256 encryption standard is used by NordLayer, a level of security trusted by online banks and government agencies that demand top-notch protection.

Due to weak privacy protection in the United States, NordLayer moved to Panama in 2020. To understand the data collected by the service, it's important to examine their logging policy. Thankfully, this VPN's logging guidelines surpass those of rival commercial VPNs. NordLayer retains your company's initial IP and email address, as it's necessary for delivering the service.

It's worth noting that the NordLayer website collects additional details about you, such as your operating system, IP address, cookie data, and browser information.

The competition

Perimeter 81 is another solid choice when it comes to securing your network. It has numerous advanced features that can help you tailor the solution to your specific needs. It is pricier compared to NordLayer, which makes it a tough choice for SMBs looking to get a turnkey solution at a reasonable price. 

If you’re looking for an enterprise solution, then Okta could be a better choice. With its complex pricing plans and numerous options, it offers more than NordLayer. However, the offer comes at a price and complexity meant for large enterprises and advanced IT departments.

Final verdict

As employees from various organizations increasingly prefer remote work, company assets are also moving to cloud-based resources outside the corporate network. To ensure the security of both the employees and these cloud resources, organizations need to implement a cloud-based solution that offers secure encryption for all communications.

NordLayer delivers numerous sophisticated features that cater to the diverse security requirements of different organizations. Although many of these benefits can be achieved by combining in-house solutions and other SaaS provider services, this approach significantly increases complexity, deployment time, and potential security vulnerabilities.

By choosing NordLayer, organizations can easily and effectively enhance their security. Users generally won't perceive any changes, while IT administrators can significantly reduce their challenges. Organizations aiming to bolster their security and gain control over distributed IT resources should consider NordLayer as a solution.

• Also check out our complete list of the best business VPNs